UTAH- On Thursday, the Trump government reactivated a rule that could deny permanent residency to those considered likely to depend on public assistance, such as food stamps, Medicaid, and housing subsidies.
The concern is that this change could dissuade hundreds of thousands of immigrants from using said
The policy, known as "public charge", appeared on Thursday in the federal register and will be formally published on July 20 to take effect on September 18.
According to this policy, applicants for permanent residency must demonstrate that they would not represent a burden to the country nor a "public charge".
"The federal government reaffirms the need for self-sufficiency, protects public resources and puts an end to policies that encouraged dependence at the expense of hardworking American taxpayers", declared the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service in a post on its X account.
Federal law already requires that those applying for permanent residency or legal status demonstrate that they will not become a public charge. However, the Trump administration's rule expands the grounds for disqualification.
This policy was first implemented in February 2020 as one of President Donald Trump's measures to limit legal immigration during his first term, but it was reversed after Democratic President Joe Biden came to power.
Jonathan Shaw, immigration lawyer, recommends that people talk to an expert about their case to establish new evidence or arguments that can demonstrate not being a public charge despite their history.
